Max Verstappen wins second-straight Formula 1 title during a wet, chaotic race in Japan
NL Times also produced an additional article with Max Verstappen’s reaction to the victory.
Max Verstappen was victorious at the the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, and an odd set of events on the last lap meant he was able to secure his second straight world title. Stewards at the Suzuka Circuit issued a five-second penalty to Charles Leclerc on the last lap, which meant Sergio Perez finished in second place. Verstappen’s lead at the top of the table can no longer be beaten, giving him the title.
It was Verstappen’s second chance this season to win the Formula 1 World Championship. He did it on a miserable, rainy day in Suzuka, Japan. The race was delayed for over an hour due to heavy rainfall. The red flag came out in the third lap after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz spun out, which ended his race day. Once the race restarted, it ran for about half of the scheduled length.
Immediately after the Sainz crash, Pierre Gasly’s Alpha Tauri car was struck by a piece of advertising hoarding that broke loose in the Sainz incident. Gasly entered the pit for a new nose, and after he emerged, the red flag was waived. Gasly, on the track on his own was racing at a high speed to catch up to his rivals, then narrowly passed by a recovery tractor that wound up onthe track. The low visibility created an even more dangerous situation.
It reminded many of French race car driver Jules Bianchi, who collided with a recovery vehicle in similar conditions at Suzuka almost exactly eight years ago. Bianchi remained in a coma, and died in a hospital in southern France nine months after the incident. He was the first Formula 1 driver to die in a race since Ayrton Senna in 1994.
The rain prevented a restart for about an hour. A rolling start from behind the safety car made it clear that visibility was still an issue. Verstappen was able to take full advantage and extend a dominant lead which grew by an average of about one second per lap raced.
Charles Leclerc actually crossed the line in second moments after a near-miss incident with Sergio Perez. Leclerc put himself in a more advantageous position by cutting across the final chicane. The incident was quickly reviewed by stewards, who slapped Leclerc with a five-second penalty.
That was enough to put Perez in second, and Leclerc in third. Full points were awarded because the race was resumed, and continued to a conclusion. Had the race been suspended without a checkered flag finish, fewer points would have been handed out.
That made Verstappen’s lead over Leclerc insurmountable for the 2022 season, giving the Dutch driver his second straight championship.
Formula 1 fans will now turn their attention to the United States. The next race on the calendar takes place at the Circuit of the Americas In Austin, Texas on 23 October.
